


Passing By

by geekinlikeaboss



Category: Avengers, Iron Man - Fandom, Marvel, Thor - Fandom
Genre: Asgardian Culture, M/M, Possible Chapters, darkLoki, enslavement
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2019-03-03 16:53:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13345452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geekinlikeaboss/pseuds/geekinlikeaboss





	1. Chapter 1

He liked the streets of Asgard in the rain, when most of the population was dwelling inside and he could wander the streets alone. He kept his fleece coat drawn up about his face. It would be annoying if someone were to recognize him and force him to put up with their simpering shenanigans. That was not to say he didn't enjoy being fussed over for his royal title. But right now he was in no mood for it. In fact he wasn't in the mood for any sort of company at all. 

The AllFather had just made the announcement, complete with a banquet and all the right guests clamoring around like a bunch of toadying sycophants. Of course he should have known. Should have taken the time to prepare himself for the inevitability. No matter when their father had told them, a blind man could see that he looked at the stronger, more bully of the two and saw the future of their kingdom in the blue eyes. Naming Thor Heir Presumptive was a mere formality. 

To some extent, Loki wanted to be happy for him. He had never seen his brother look so... overwhelmed over something in his life. The accolades from the political vultures meant nothing as he stood there, floundering for purchase, trying to look as resplendent as possible while he realized the weight and responsibility of the throne was soon to fall on his shoulders. Even Loki had found himself swept up in the moment, applauding for him, smiling to know that what his elder brother had always striven for was finally within his grasp.

But as he moved forward to congratulate him, Thor had passed him by in favor of greeting the other dignitaries and nobility quickly crowding about to vie for their future King's attention. Loki had not been able to get closer, and Thor had not reached out his hand to speak to him.

Now, without meaning to, Loki found himself in a positively foul mood. Foul enough to skitter past the guards and out the back to wander the streets for a while. He doubted he'd be missed. And as was usually the case, whenever he found himself in one of his little snits of poor temperament, Loki started looking for some way to get into trouble. The most typical for him was to find a tavern which boasted characters of easy virtue with which he could take our his regressions on. But at the moment, that stuck in his throat. After his last visit, word had gotten around to those in the trade that if a dark hair, green eyed man who smelled of gold came by, demand extra for damages upfront. Nor was he in the mood to head back to the palace and find a willing servant to keep himself entertained. His mother had found out about the last one and tore into him. Not that he could really blame her for that. If the guild found out that one of their members was being mistreated, there would be hell to pay, royal family or not. 

So here he was, waiting for something amusing to happen. 

Loki passed through into the merchants distract, hardly looking at the notable houses of a newly coined in Asgard. They weren't nobility, of course, but this was the place where the shrewd and the connected had gathered. The bright colors and frankly useless little gardens of their villas made it clear that they wanted everyone to know they had money to blow. He peered in past the gates, mostly from boredom, looking at the hedges and flowers whipping back and forth in the rain.

In the garden of one particularly gaudy estate, he heard something moan.

Loki had never been one to pass by his curiosity. And as this was Asgard proper and nobody locked their back gate, he thought nothing of pushing the hinge and stepping in one the tile, peering around. Lightning flashed as he searched for what had made the noise, expecting to find a beggar or perhaps just a drunk after shelter. 

He did not expect to nearly trip over a steak in the ground. 

Loki followed the heavy chain of the steak over to a manacle which clutched so tightly at a foot that there was raw, old scar tissue apparently, even in the rain. He let his vision travel over the poor wretch with a certain curiosity, making out the figure of a man lying there, naked but for a loincloth clinging to him. He had not seen the royal personage hovering over him. Or perhaps the frost clinging to his unkempt hair made it difficult for him to see. He shook ferociously, moaning to himself, clinging onto his body to try and keep himself warm. When he finally looked up, the man jumped back, lifting his arms to block the expected blow.

Loki could not help but smile to himself. “Well well. Aren't you interesting.” He flung his cloak off with a grand flourish and covered the man with it, wrapping him up tightly. With a single jerk and yanked the post out from the ground and lifted the poor creature easily, headed for the back door of the villa. 

He knocked three times. A candlelight came on in the window and a serving maid opened the door while still in her night cloak. 

“I'm sorry sir but we don't accept night deliveries. Come back tomorrow when...”

“Do I look like a green grocer, girl?” Loki sneered and pushed past her, knocking the young woman to the ground as he shoved his way inside. He looked about the kitchen and took the man he'd gathered over to the fireplace, setting him down where he could warm him up. Loki stood and turned on the woman. “Who is master of this house? Answer me.”

“I...uh...this is the notable estate of Gealby, High Merchant of the Silks.” she stammered. It hadn't taken much for her to note the quality of his cloth. And she had no intention of refusing to address a noble. 

“Fetch your master. I don't care if he's sleeping. Tell him I wish to address the manner in which he keeps his servants.” Loki said pointedly. Really, he didn't care in the least. But the poor girl told him what he wanted to know with the next words.

“Him? He's no guild servant! He's just a...” She froze, realizing her mistake. She quickly grabbed the candle and bustled up the stairs. “I shall tell the master someone is here to see him.” 

Loki pulled himself over to the hearth, letting himself get warmed up as he peered at the poor creature he'd salvaged from the storm. Now that they were in the light, he could make out several marks on the man's skin. Beneath the hood was a face covered with hair, but he knew a good jawline and warm eyes when he saw them. Before he could question the bedraggled person, the master of the house trampled down the steps, looking as furious as one could for being dragged out of bed in early spring. 

“What is the meaning of this intrusion? I will have the guard called on you, sir! And what is this worthless trash doing back in my house! How dare you...”

Loki's thin smile revealed just how pleased he was to be recognized and perhaps even feared. “Master Gealby, I assume.” He stood up, taking on his stance of someone who now owns whatever rooms he is in. “Tell me, do you know what the penalty is for keeping slaves in Asgard?”

The man swallowed his tongue and had to fumble to bring it back up. “I...I would never...sir he is no slave. Not at all. Merely a...a badly behaved serving man. Yes. Very badly behaved! Caught him stealing silver!” 

“Ah. Then clearly a matter for the guard. I shall be happy to call them, and the Guild too. I'm sure they'd be interested to know how you treat one of their contracted members...” Oh how HARD he had to work not to laugh at how the mans face turned white! Most people would rather deal with the guard than the guild! The most the Aesir guard could take was your freedom. The guild if in a foul mood and crossed, could take your house, your livelihood, your property, and your holdings. 

Gealby lost air in his lungs. He shooed the serving woman away, trying his best to straighten himself up and clear his thoughts. “I am certain, your highness, that there has been some sort of misunderstanding here. Obviously it would be my honor to try and do anything I can to...alleviate any confusion. Perhaps I can offer you a glass of wine. I have a very fine elvish vineyard...”

“I'm not in the mood.” Loki waved his hand. He could see the poor man watching him closely, waiting to see how this would turn out. “But perhaps...well if it is all a misunderstanding, then I might be able to help you. I wouldn't want a fine, upstanding citizen such as yourself to face any repercussions for something simple.” He looked over at the messy creature now clutching at his robe, not looking up from the fire. “If I were to say, take him off your hands, clean him up a bit and put him in my employ...well I'd wager no one would recognize him.” 

Gealby sucked the inside of his lips, quickly seeing the advantage of letting Loki have his way. “Yes. Of course. What a very clever solution. But there is the matter of...well I did pay a rather substantial amount of coin for him...”

“Did you now? A very poor investment as he was left out in the rain. Does he grow some sort of valuable alchemic moss when wet?” Loki enunciated his words and the man predictably backed down. “I shall need a second cloak as he is currently borrowing mine.” Loki stood and waved his hand. “And your private carriage to return us to the palace. I'll have it returned once I've finished with it.” When nobody moved he scowled, and the scampering pleased him more than he could say. Within a short while, a new cloak had been brought and Gealby's carriage had been brought for them. The prince of Asgard easily picked up the weak creature again, noticing that no protest was offered, and said not another word to the lord of the household as he got into it and they sped off.

He could not resist a wry laugh as they clattered down the streets. “Well that was fun. I shall have to drop a hint to the city guard that they ought to investigate the Gealby estate for contraband and such. If he's gotten in the slave trade I strongly doubt you're the only ramshackled thing hanging about his residence.” Loki peered over at his guest and nudged the silent man with a boot. “I am accustomed to being answered when I speak.”

Brown eyes, dark and dangerous as the woods at night glared back at him from under the borrowed hood. “Yes I'm sure you are. But don't think I'm fooled into believing you've done me a favor.”

Loki's lips formed an intrigued 'O' shape as he leaned back on the cushioned chair, spreading himself out. “Well well. I think we're discovering why he had you out in the storm. Mouthy creature.”

“Yeah and I'm only gonna get worse from here on out.” Came the sharp tongues response. “So if you're gonna get a stick up your ass about trying to make me scrape and bow you've got another thing coming, Ass-gardian.”

If he thought this was going to repulse or upset the prince, he was dead wrong. Loki stared at him for half a second before he began laughing as if he might burst his gut! “OH you are bound to be more fun than the usual servants!” he clasped his hands and leaned forward. “By the nine realms. What are you under all that hair and dirty eh? I'd call you a dwarf but you're much too tall to be one. Some manner of elvish mutation gone horribly wrong?”

He sat up straighter. “I'm a human. From Earth. A place I'd like to get the fuck back to...”

Loki reached out and struck him harshly. Not so hard as he could have, but enough to send the poor man back to the other side of the carriage. “Careful. There's a difference between cheeky and offensive.” He warned as he traveled over the man's body with his eyes. There was so much potential for fun here. He hissed under his breath, the fellow trying to salvage his pride as he refused to rub the mark on his cheek. “Now...why don't we start again. “I...” he gestured to himself. “Am Loki, prince of Asgard. And for all intents and purposes, your new master.”

“I thought slavery wasn't allowed here.” Came the growl.

“It's not. But I think we both know by now just how far laws can be broken if you've got the connections or the coin.” Loki wondered privately who Gealby had meant to sell this man to. Hard enough to transport a slave through the realms without getting caught. But then, there were pockets of Asgard so far removed from the proper that, if he were to get the human that far out, no-one would know anything of it for decades. “Now, how about you introduce yourself. Go on. I want to know.”

The man glared at him again, but pulled back his hood. “My name is Tony. Tony Stark.”

Loki arched an eyebrow. “Should that mean something to me?”

“It just might.” Tony tilted his head to one side. “Depends on just what it is you think you're going to do with me.” 

Loki felt an absolute thrill chase it's way down his spine to his thighs. “Well...Master Stark...we shall have to see.”


	2. Chapter 2

The golden halls of Asgard have held fast through many millennium of strife both from without and within. Like all royal halls, it is subject to it's own fair amount of political intrigue and abundance of the hedonistic tendencies of the wealthy and status riddled folk that dwell there. Of course given this reality, most of the nobility like to believe themselves above such things, and since they aren't, they work very hard to protect their little secrets from the general populace, but mostly from one another.

Loki had made those intrigues his bread and butter since he was still considered a youth. He knew Councilor Hradli liked to deal in illegal Alfheim narcotics for his own personal use. He was aware that the wife of one of the higher councilors took guards into her bedchambers while her husband was away at palace meetings. He knew the senior treasurer of the Vaults like to embezzle to cover his gambling debts with dwarves. Everyone in the palace had secrets, and Loki got a secret thrill out of knowing what those secrets were. Thus far, he hadn't found it necessary to call many of them in, especially not the big ones. He was saving those for special occasions. But in this particular circumstance, he might have to use a few of the more minor scandals to his advantage. 

All it took was a slip to one of the guards about knowledge of the little affair to ensure he was not spotted bringing his new trophy in through the servants halls. A few smartly worded comments about missing silverware and wine bottles got the staff to fall in line and bring him the towels and fresh clothing he needed, as well as their silence for at least a few days. He shuttled Tony quickly past them, not letting them get too close or peer at the filthy creature for too long. Worst thing that could happen now was for someone to catch wind of what was really going on. If they thought he'd dragged some Aesir ruffian up to his bedchambers for a night of debauchery, that was fine. But if anyone discovered he had a Midgardian here, then the offal would really start to fly!

Which of course, just made things all the more exciting. 

He pulled the braided cord above the marble tub and water rushed through the pipes, splashing out into the base. Loki hummed happily as he fished through his private oils and salts, shuffling until he found the ones he was after. “Ahh. Oak and lavender. Perfect.” He walked back to the scruffy creature he'd purloined and waved a hand at him. “Disrobe and get in the tub. I'll not have you tracking mud all over my chambers while you're serving me.”

Tony scoffed and managed to look pretty arrogant given his current state. “And what makes you think I'm going to be serving you?”

“I don't think...”

“That much is obvious.” The mortal snapped back, but if he expected another strike, he didn't get it. Instead he found the dark haired god in his face, looking oh so terribly smug.

“Damn but that cheek is refreshing. We will discuss the specifics of your service here later on. But at the moment, you're a shivering, filthy mess. Wouldn't you much rather get a nice hot bath? Shave yourself up a bit?” Loki ran a finger down the front of his chest, that wry grin turning predatory. “How long has it been since you felt clean? A while I'd expect.” He dumped a healthy amount of the salts in and a fragrant scent quickly followed.

Tony glared at him, but his eyes darted to the steaming water. He scrunched up his nose, clearly not liking his current situation. He stepped back away from the encroaching prince and began to undress himself, throwing the clothing in a rumpled pile on the tiles. 

“Uch. I'll ensure to have the maid burn those.” He kicked them out of the way, waving his fingers absently to bring a few towels over. He noticed Tony's eyes widen at the green power flitting through the air. ~So it's true. Mortals have little experience with magic.~ That was sure to prove interesting in the days to come. Loki started to leave him be, but then a delightful little thought came to him. Why not ensure this new toy understood his place to the fullest extent? 

Tony was so busy scrubbing himself clean of weeks worth of dirt and sweat that he only noticed something amiss when the water was displaced and sloshed against the tub. “Gah!” he jumped back, eyeing Loki as he slipped down into the tub. “Go away! I don't need any help with this!”

“Oh I beg to differ.” Loki flicked his wrist and summoned to him a bowl, lathering soap, and a straight razor, letting them come to rest by the side of the tub. “Come now. It isn't for men of your station to sport such beards, and no fit Aeisr would be seen with such a ragged and unkempt one to begin with.”

“What does that say about where you stand here.” He threw back, not moving an inch closer. “I'm fully capable of taking care of myself. Just leave the items there and I'll get back to you.”

“Silly little man.” Loki drew himself up, brandishing the straight razor with a flourish. “I'm not asking.” He drew a finger out and his magic took him, wrapping itself about Tony's waist and yanking him down to sputter and flail in the deep tub. Loki had a nice little chuckle over the drenched mortal before grabbing him by the scruff and hauling him up. “I won't ask nicely a second time.”

“That was nicely?” Tony managed as he spat out bathwater and soap. 

“Ask around. That was very nicely, for me.” He snapped the man around and shoved him down to his knees, the water surface stopping at his shoulders. “Sit still.” Loki pushed the blade up alongside the poor man's cheek, showing off just how finely sharpened it was. “You wouldn't want me to miss.” He set that aside for a moment, taking of a pair of sheers and beginning to work on the hair. As he clipped the tangled knots away, he began to wonder to himself just how long this poor fool had been here. It could not have been long. If he'd spent any amount of time on Asgard at all, he would have understood the significance of a haircut, especially with how short Loki was setting to trim it. 

Men of any status worth speaking of kept their hair long, at the very least down past their shoulders. Anything shorter than shoulder length denoted a lower position on the hierarchy. Even serving staff never let their locks be trimmed shorter than chin length. But to keep ones hair trimmed so close as this? Loki took immense pleasure in watching the thick brown hair fall into the tub, a secret thrill elating him as he knew eventually his little prize would learn just what status he'd been put in. It was even more enjoyable knowing Tony was sitting still for the whole trial. He rinsed the remainder gently, tilting the man's head back and cupping a hand over his eyes so as not to get soap in them. As he looked down, he could see the fury rankling the moral at being handled so childishly. Loki smiled and picked up the razor again. “Now the chin.”

“I can do that myself.” He groused once again. “I got a style.” 

“Oh? Pray tell.” Loki began to work the lather up, smoothing it over the coarse hairs with due caution. He was enjoying the moment with a sort of ritualistic impulse. Whatever Gealby had intended to use this human for beforehand was of little consequence to the prince. Anthony belonged to him now, so it was only fitting that he be washed clean before being properly received. “Better speak quickly or I'll just do it the way I wish.”

“Isn't that what you're intending to do anyhow?”

“Perhaps. But if you don't say so I won't have any alternatives.” He tucked the blade up under the throat, holding it at the soft flesh of the neck for a threateningly long time to see if the mortal would blink first. 

Tony clenched his fists and glared up at him with a daring look. “Goatee and mustache. Neatly trimmed. And don't go against the grain alright? Ingrown hairs are unsightly.”

Loki felt a strangely warm insistence go right through him down to his pelvis. The bravado on this man was absolutely delightful! It was as if he was utterly unaware of just what could be done to him with none the wiser! “Of course. I do have some experience with remaining clean shaven.” He drew the blade down, removing the little hairs at the bottom of the beard. 

“If you nick me, you don't get tipped.”

“I shall endeavor caution.” Loki assured him, mirroring the man's disrespectful tone. He licked his lips as the form of the face began to make itself apparent. Deep, intelligent eyes set into a weary and underfed bone structure, yet there was some strength to his jawline, or maybe he was just clenching it too hard. Loki had not seen many mortals in the last thousand years or so, but he guessed this one to be somewhere in his thirties. Old enough to be considered an adult by human standards. That in and of itself was odd. Not that he dabbled in it...or hadn't up till now...but for the most part, when slavers grabbed someone, they tried to take them young enough to keep docile through threats. “Care to explain yourself?”

“Not sure what you mean by that.”

“There must be some manner of tale behind what brings you to Asgard. Some harrowing misadventure which has resulted in your current predicament. Indulge me.”

“I'd say I'm already in the process of indulging you.” Tony responded, eyeing the blades caressing him as sweetly as a feather. 

“You'd do well to at least try and keep yourself in my good graces. Behave, and you'd be amazed to find how pleasant things here can be. Turn sour, and you may discover there are things I can do the likes of which your mortal mind cannot comprehend.” He warned, drawing his fingers up over the mans newly shorn throat. 

“Careful there. Wouldn't want me to think you're flirting, your majesty.” His last word was cut off as the fingers drew tight, threatening to cut off his oxygen with just the slightest movement. Maybe he had more bravado then sense, but the man did not flinch. He just sat there, as if daring the bastard to go through with it.

Loki groaned softly and chewed the inside of his cheek, enjoying this new found sense of power over another. “You might save yourself a lot of trouble.” 

Tony gasped and forced himself to talk past the strain. “I'd say I'm already in a lot of trouble.”

“The first intelligent thing you've said since I met you.” He squeezed just tight enough to block airways for a second. Oh how delightful it was to see that flickering moment of panic jolt through such proud and determined features! He was going to have a difficult time drawing this out long enough to keep it exciting. The reality of this was simple enough. If he wished, he could find a servant who would be willing to give him an enjoyable tumble. Thor indulged himself all the time. If he wanted something a bit raunchy and low, he could go to the brothels in the Red District and pay enough coin to get something for the night. This was not about that. Or at least, it wasn't only about that.

In very short order, Thor would be given a lavish ceremony in which he would be given the throne of Asgard, set above any other in the realm and charged with both it's protection and preservation. There would be no one who could surmount him in status. Anything he wished, he would have but to raise his hand and it would be delivered. 

Except for this. No AllFather, no ruling monarch of Asgard could supplant the law of the land and keep a private individual for their own amusement and diversions. In fact it was such a scandalous suggestion that merely being attached to such a notion would cause upheavals in court! 

Loki was looking forward to that a great deal. He felt the pulse begin to slow under his thumb and looked down, realizing the mortal had begun to flail, slapping at him and fighting in his arms for air. “Ah. Forgive me.” He let go.

Tony fell forward and swallowed water. He climbed to the side of the tub, choking and shaking as his reddened face began to return to it's natural color. “You...fucking...psycho!” he gurgled out, touching the painful marks on his neck and looking down at his fingers as if he expected to see blood. 

“I allowed myself to become distracted. It shan't happen again.” he promised, eyeing the bruises already starting to form where his fingers had been. Loki felt that tingle in his chest once more and realized in short order that the next time, he would be sure he remained focused. “You're all nice and shaven. I'm sure you're quite exhausted after your ordeal...”

“You fucking damn near choked the life out of me! Are you crazy?” He lifted himself from the tub, wrapping and towel around himself. “I want out of here! NOW!”

“I'll thank you to keep your voice down...”

“Why?” He rounded on his host. “You don't want anybody to know I'm here?”

“At the moment it would be very inconvenient.” Loki admitted and realized his mistake.

“Heh. For you maybe. For me...” Tony opened his mouth to yell, though what exactly, Loki never found out. He flung his hand out and a flood of his magic slapped Tony across the face, cementing itself about his lips and jaw. 

“Now...stop struggling. You won't get it to leave. Listen to me, you crude thing!” Loki demanded in a sharp tone. “You want to yell for someone? Fine. Yell your pretty head off. But let me tell you what will happen when the guards come. They will clap you in irons and proceed to ignore you, asking me why there is a mortal in my chambers. I'll feed them whatever story I come up with, and they'll listen because I'm a prince, and you're just a little nobody a thousand light years from your home. Then, they will proceed to lock you up in the dungeons until the AllFather has time to decide what to do with you, which if I'm being honest, may take the rest of your natural born life. So...” He yanked his hand back and the magic pulled away, leaving a red imprint over Tony's lips. “...it would be to your best advantage to heed my orders from here on out. Do we understand one another?”

Tony leaned back against the wall, sucking his lips back and forth to get feeling back into them. “Yeah. I got it.”

“Good. Now, get dressed. Can't have the morning maids coming in to see you stark naked like a loose woman.”


	3. Chapter 3

“You look surprisingly striking in those colors.” 

“Nothing surprising about it. I look good in everything.” Tony gazed at himself in the looking glass. To call it a mirror didn't feel regal enough. Like everything else in Asgard it was sweating with gold and the vague sense that it was somehow annoyed to have a mere mortal looking into it. 

“Are you quite certain? I was not exactly impressed with the threadbare rags they had you wearing before.” Loki leaned back as he took in the sight, admiring how his pallet flattered the man's body considerably. 

“You must have been.” The mortal adjusted the belts, trying to get them to feel right when it was clear he wasn't used to wearing them. “After all, you took me in, didn't you?”

A thin smile spread across the prince's face. “That I did, and I've yet to receive a proper thank you for it.”

“Won't be getting one either. I can't see how I'm in any better of a position than I was before, minus being naked in the rain. And I'm not overflowing with gratefulness towards guys who grab me by the jaw and shake me around while throwing orders at me.” 

“Is that a frequent occurrence for you?” He returned facetiously before bringing a decanter of wine to his side and pouring two glasses. “Come now. At the very least you could say this for yourself. You are warm. You are clothed. You are a great deal cleaner than you were before, and you are in a position which may be much more beneficial to you than you think, if you can learn to be appreciative of it.” Loki handed a glass out to him, the rich scent of berries and spices filling the man's nostrils. “That's not all together bad now is it?” 

Tony eyed the cup and took it cautiously. He didn't take a sip until he saw Loki do so, then drank from it sparingly. “I need food or this is gonna go right to my head.”

“Gelby wasn't feeding you? Ah. No of course he wasn't. I'll make you a deal. I will call for food, you will sit and tell me why you are here. Fair?” Loki sat back with a keen smile. “Fair. See how nice I can be?” 

The mortal man glared at him for a good long while before walking over and sitting down on the lounging couch across from him. He ran his fingers around the rim of the cup and sighed. What options did he have? Besides, if this Loki thought he was going to get any entertainment out of Tony, he might find himself surprised. “Okay but in exchange, I want information. Gelby was pretty tight lipped with the exception of yelling orders at me.” He waited while the prince mulled this over before nodding his agreement. “Okay. So, I'm from Earth, Midgard, whatever it is you people call it. I was working on an advanced exoskeleton with experimental defensive capabilities and I decided to take it for a night flight. I wanted to see how high I could take it, test the limits you know? Well anyhow I got pretty high, started freezing over, but when I got back and scanned the flight recorder data, I noticed a distress beacon had been captured. Curiosity is one of my many flaws, so I hauled it back to the lab, made some alterations and headed back out to see what I had come across. Got as far as I could go, didn't know what my plan was if I managed to find anything, but I guess I just couldn't resist.” He took a cautious sip and sighed as the alcohol burned down his throat. “Next thing I knew a worm hole opened up, sucked me through. Things get a little fuzzy from there. Bunch of flashing lights, lot of metal all over the place and someone zapping me while yelling in a language I've never heard. And I speak six, in case you were wondering. Sat in a cell for a while, got taken to some kind of… I don't know. Marketplace? Anyhow someone saw me and bought me on behalf of that Gelby asshole. That's how I got here.”

“Your story telling skills leave much to be desired.”

“Promised I'd tell you. Never said I was Shakespeare.” Tony shrugged and downed more of the wine. “Now, you're turn. Where exactly am I?” 

“You are on Asgard, one of nine realms connected by the great tree Yggdrasil.” 

“Yeah thats tells me absolutely nothing. Where is Asgard? Huh? What universe, hell what galaxy am I in?” Tony insisted, pushing for more information. 

“If I understand what you are asking, then there is no simple answer. You see, Yggdrasil is a metaphor for a bridge which exists between realms. We did not construct it merely utilized its power for our own purposes ages before I was even born. This intergalactic bridge is directly connected to nine realms, planets, however you wish to refer to them.” Loki explained as if giving a child a lesson. “Midgard is one of them, though we have not traveled there for many centuries.”

“So, there's a bridge back to Earth. To my planet?”

“Yes. But it won't do you any good. Odin AllFather outlawed travel there ages ago. Even if I had any intention of letting you go, you would never convince the Gatekeeper to let you pass without a royal writ from the AllFather himself. For better or worse, you're stuck here.”

Tony's expression soured as he glared at the god. “Didn't you say something about food?”

“I did indeed.” He moved his fingers and a green serpent coiled up from his palm, slithering between them. “Find a servant. Tell them to bring me a platter, I'm feeling peckish.” He delighted in the way Tony's eyes fixed themselves to the snake as it slipped off to obey his whims. “Continue, please.” He could see clever brown eyes already starting to search for a way around this problem. He did hope the poor fellow would try to escape! It would be such a wonderful excuse to punish him! 

“Right. Anyhow I got snuck into the city. I don't know how. They drugged my food I think. All I know is I blacked out on a spaceship and I woke up in a cage in Gelby's cellar. Not the nicest place to wake up in, believe me.” 

“I would imagine not. Was he planning on keeping you for himself?”

“I don't think so. He never said so directly but he didn't have me doing anything besides staying down there and trying to keep me drugged. I'd start yelling for help and he'd come down there with his whips and… well let's just say there wasn't a safe word.” Tony stared down into his cup and sighed to himself. “I'd been down there about three days and I stopped eating so I could start trying to escape. So he'd beat me for that. And then I started attacking anyone who got too close to the bars, basically trying to make a nuisance of myself, get someone's attention. That finally pissed him off enough and he drugged me up pretty bad, left me out in the freezing rain. Don't know if he meant to kill me or just punish me bad enough but either way, that's where you found me.” 

“Perhaps you made yourself more trouble then you were worth. Or perhaps Gelby just did not have my patience.” Loki stated. “We shall find out soon enough.” 

“Oh shall we?” Tony said in a dull mocking tone. “Why did you pick me up?”

“In truth? Haven't the faintest idea. You were there and I got curious. Time will tell if it was worth it.”

“What do you want from me?”

Loki waited a long time to answer. His green eyes never broke their connection with Tony's brown ones. It was as if he were determined to fix the man to the spot and hold him there through sheer strength of will. A servant appeared, a pretty young woman who had the good sense to bustle through the room, lay the laden platter between them, and bustle back out with only the briefest of views in Tony's direction before leaving. Loki's lips turned up into a devilish grin before he answered. “Entertainment.” 

Tony closed his legs instinctively. “I'm not sure what you mean by that.”

“I think you do. Don't be worried. I'm in no rush. I dare say that by the time you find yourself beneath me, you will welcome my embrace...”

“I'm not gonna let you fuck me.” 

“Of course you will. Just not yet. I always find ways of getting what I want, Tony. And I have no doubt you will provide plenty of amusement along the way.” 

“Look buddy I'll be the first to admit I'm not exactly a blushing virgin here. But every sexual adventure I've ever been a part of involved enthusiastic and emphatic consent. I don't know what you're laws are like here but I'm willing to bet there's a few problems with somebody trying to force things!” Tony spat back, but if he was hoping his words would give Loki cause to hesitate, he was wrong. 

“There are, along with the laws regarding the keeping of slaves. I'd be happy to have a book brought to you if you think you've got a case to press. But if it really bothers you so much, why don't I propose an alternative scenario?” Loki sat up and pushed the platter towards him. “I can hear your stomach growling from here. Eat and listen.”

“Like I've got a choice.” Tony dug in without hesitation. The good thing about being on a relatively humanoid planet was the cuisine didn't look too different. Meat was meat, fruit was fruit, bread and butter were bread and butter. 

“You are alone here, without a single friend or support. That makes your position far more precarious than I think you are aware. Mortals, that is, Midgardians are not looked upon kindly here. More to the point, when I was a youth it was entirely legal and indeed something of a vogue to keep your kind as pets. It fell out of fashion eventually and became illegal when more egalitarian ways were assumed. But don't think that will save you. Best case scenario, you'll end up in the dungeons. More likely? The AllFather will want to ensure you are out of sight and out of mind. You could end up on the first ship off Asgard with no clue where it is headed or whether or not it will have your safety in mind. You could end up given to another realm. Alfheim and Vanaheim both still practice the keeping of slaves.”

“Geezus. Are all Asgardians this long winded?” Tony grouched between bites of food, chewing on the meat with gusto. “Get to the point.”

Loki was tempted to strike him again, but it didn't seem to be doing any good so why waste the energy. “As you wish. One year...” He held up a finger. “...from today. One year in my service, as my manservant. If in such time you find yourself still longing for home, I will swear to plead your case before my father and do all within my power to have you returned safely to Midgard.”

Tony perked up at this news and his chewing slowed. “Ok. So what's the down side?”

The prince made a gentle sound, his movements as he slid closer almost cat like in his approach. “If in the course of a year you consent to come to my bed and lie with me, you stay. No arguments, no escaping. You simply give up your freedom and belong to me.”

“That is a hand weighed pretty heavily in your favor.” Tony kept his voice even, his mind working fast. His options were few and far between. Not that he had any intention of letting this arrogant pretty boy tangle him up in the sheets, but what he was more considerate of was the time span. A year gave him room to work with, a chance to plan and gather resources if he did it carefully. “How about a few rules to keep things fair?”

“What did you have in mind?”

“For starters? I have to be capable of consenting. No drugs, no grabbing me while I'm drunk. No tricks of any kind. You coerce me into it and it doesn't matter if I do jump into those sheets. You lose right away. For another, you have to swear to me no bullshit.”

“Bullshit as in...?”

“As in I want food, drink, clothing… and my own bed. My own room if I can get it.” Tony knew he was making a lot of demands but he had to try and finagle some stable footing for himself. “And no threatening me to get what you want.”

“Tony, Tony, Tony. If you are to behave as my manservant then I am entitled to discipline you for your misbehavior. I am quite sure there will be many opportunities to do so.” Loki smirked playfully and Tony felt a chill go through him. 

“Yeah I'm sure you're looking forward to that. What I mean is no sitting there telling me you're gonna slit my throat if I don't suck you off.” It surprised him to see the god's lip curl distastefully at such a suggestion. 

“I would never. Duress is not consent now is it?” Loki waved his hand. “Anything else you want to add before I lose my generous mood?”

“Yeah. One more thing.” Tony leaned forward. “I make it a year and there's no plea bargaining, no going through proper channels, nothing like that. You seem like the sort of guy who knows how to work the system when it suits his needs. I win, and you get me off this rock and to Earth whatever way you can. I don't care if you have to pay to have me smuggled in an old pickle barrel. So long as I get to Earth, it doesn't matter to me.” 

Loki sat there, watching Tony devour as much as he could while he debated his decision. “Very well, but while you are here, I expect for you to maintain the decorum of a manservant while in public.”

“That'll be hard. Don't you guys have a Guild or something that staff are supposed to go through?” Tony added a heaping spoonful of a white cream sauce to the slice of meat he was holding and shoved it in his mouth, licking his lips clean. “I wasn't just spitting at the maids, ya know. I paid attention in that fucking cellar.”

“Yes, one does need a Guild permit in order to retain a service position in a household. But as with most bureaucratic nonsense, coin opens more doors than paper. A permit can be obtained easily enough. So long as the Guild received it's percentage, I doubt they will care overmuch.” Loki sighed. “You're going to end up being expensive, aren't you?” 

“Never let it be said I was a cheap date.”


	4. Chapter 4

Out of sight, out of mind was the best policy to keep to in such scenarios. Loki did not want to risk them being found out until he'd had a chance to pay off the Guide and get his new manservant 'proper' paperwork to be there. He knew he could not keep Tony a secret for long. Not in a palace full of servants who'd worked there for decades or longer and knew every face that passed through the halls. The most he could hope for was that they would assume he had some new fancy he was banging around with for a few days. That usually meant he'd be left alone.

Loki meant to keep his word, for all that was worth. In truth, he'd done all this entirely on a whim. If Tony managed to keep him amused for six months he'd consider his time and effort well spent. But there was no reason he needed to let the pretty creature know that, now was there? It would be far more fun to watch him struggle with his own useless pride as they played this game back and forth. He was looking forward to it. Almost as if they would be sparring with wills instead of muscles. 

He had denied Tony his own room. He did not think it would be wise. But as was much the fashion in the palace, there was a small room adjacent to his own bed chambers. It was meant for a body servant, which despite the name did not mean a private whore. The intention was to keep a close personal servant nearby by in case you needed something in the middle of night or if there was an emergency. Still, Loki saw no reason to inform Tony of this and was more than happy to see him squirm as he made all the wrong assumptions about this space. 

“You may do with it as you like.” Loki informed him shortly. Honestly he hadn't been in here for so long he'd almost forgotten what there was. But he could see a bathing chamber and toilette, a bed which would need new sheets, and an assortment of closeting, shelves and such. All in all, not a bad place. “But I will advise you do not try to escape. If you are caught I will simply deny knowing anything and you'll just end up in the dungeons.”

“I still don't know if I should believe you or not.”

“Try it for yourself. All that will happen is I will have wasted my time.” Loki insisted. “Now, let us discuss your duties for the time being. You will be thrilled to know I am not an early riser. But when I do awaken, I expect for you to already be up and ready to attend me. You will lay out my clothing in the morning and assist me with my toilette… ”

“With your what?” Tony jerked his head around, one side of his lip curled up in disgust. 

“My morning toilette.”

“I am not wiping your ass for you.”

Loki went pink in the cheeks. “NO! That is not… ugh. It means wash my face and hands! Brush my hair, assist me in dressing, you crude thing.” He scoffed and was tempted to strike him. In fact his fingers itched. But he would need to utilize some patience. “Once I am ready you will stand as I break fast and attend me should I need it.”

“Are you that incapable of taking care of yourself?” Tony looked entirely too pleased with how awkward he was making his captor feel. It was a petty revenge, one which he intended to milk for all it was worth. Or at least till he got backhanded. 

“You know some people would consider it an honor to attend the second son.”

“Some people also like to walk barefoot across broken glass. But whatever. Again it's not like I have a lot of options here.” He looked around at his room with an appreciative eye. It was better than nothing. Certainly better than a small cage or freezing to death in the rain. As if on cue he heard a far off thunder crackle outside and realized he was lucky to some extent. “Is winter always like this here?”

“It is still autumn, but yes. It is not uncommon to have freezing rain, hail and slurry. Which reminds me, it is to your comfort that you keep the braziers well lit. The cold has never caused me much difficulty, but I suspect you will be quite susceptible to it. I'd hate to try and bed you while you're freezing yourself to death.”

“I'm shocked.”

“By what?”

“Well here you've been working so hard to try and convince me I'm being seduced. Everything you're talking about is pretty mundane stuff. Lay out your clothing and keep the pilot light on.” Tony shrugged. “Not exactly the height of sexiness.”

“One does not ask an untrained mongrel to perform tricks.” Loki said with a dark grin. “But if it makes you feel any better, I will derive a great deal of amusement watching you struggle with your pride in order to please me. I suspect it shall prove a far more humbling experience than you think.”

“Don't count on it. Despite my reputation I'm not some pampered rich boy. I can handle myself.” Tony walked across the room, dusting a thick coating of cobwebs off one of the shelves and thumbing his way through an old collection of pillow-books in old Aesir. He couldn't read it of course, but the pictures were just as breathtaking as they were painstakingly made. 

“Ah, but I'm asking for you to handle me.” Loki reminded him with a leer that bordered on lecherous. 

~~~

Loki was fully aware that the first attempts would not go well. He maintained his patience the first day with aplomb, he credited himself with that much! Tony had clearly never waited on anyone else before, and the prince knew it would be unfair of him to expect the man know how to do so right off the bat. Still, waking up to his clothing tossed carelessly in a pile on the ottoman was intentionally annoying. Tony scrubbed his face like a washer woman trying to get mud off a child's face. When he 'helped' his prince to get dressed, he seemed determined to make the straps about three holes too tight, utterly disregarding the way the outfit was meant to lay. 

The god gathered his decorum and stopped Tony at every mistake. “You take the clothing from the closet and ensure it is wrinkle free and properly hung. You adjust the straps and ensure they lay in the proper overlapping pattern so there is no obtrusive and unsightly bulk in the garment.” He got the distinct feeling that Tony could not have cared less. What he got in response was a sharp and condescending response followed by a glib dismissal.

And Loki let him do it, a fact which he was sure made Tony uncomfortable. He instructed Tony keenly on the proper way to wash him in the morning, how to serve his meal, how he expected his clothing to be tucked and folded and snapped shut. Every time Tony rolled his eyes or ignored it, Loki could not help a smug grin to his own ingeniousness. The poor mortal was playing right into his hands. 

He continued through the second day, instructing him once more on the morning routine. There were other chores he would need from him eventually, but why rush? This was going to be such fun when Tony realized what was happening! He repeated his instructions on the third day, and on the fourth, when Tony again threw his beautiful silk linens onto the ottoman with haphazard care, Loki decided it was time. 

“Petulance.” He said smoothly, rising from the bed. “The same kind of petulance I would expect to see from an angry youth.”

“What? I did what you said. Clothing there. Breakfast there.” Tony defended, pointing to the items.

“Yes I do see that. But despite the location being correct, the sentiment is entirely obstinate. I have been very patient thus far and yet you are trying with all your might to be subversive. I'm afraid that won't stand.” He stood and towered over Tony, his face a vision of placid control. “I gave you more credit than this. But it appears I must be exacting in my training of you. Thank you, Anthony, for showing me what I need to do.”

Tony's hands moved to defend himself, and he managed to sneak in a glancing blow before Loki caught hold of his wrist and whirled him around, trapping his arm behind his body with a twist of his fingers. “Shit! You swore...”

“I swore I would not force you to engage with me sexually. This is not about sex. It is about discipline.” Loki promised him, walking him forward to the clothing strewn on the chair. “Now, pick it up.” He instructed, yanking up firmly when Tony did not do so quickly enough. He waited until Tony managed to grab the bundle up with one arm and to his chest before he turned him loose. “Now, kneel. I want you on your knees.”

“There's no need to… ” Tony took a step back into a fighting stance when Loki approached again. He'd fight before he dropped it was written all over his face. Doing it willingly would be giving far too much. 

Another thing Loki would have to teach him. Humility. Oh he was going to relish this! Did Tony realize every resistance only made him more intriguing? “Very well. But remember, you are the one who decided this must be done the hard way.” He fingers coiled and the ribbons of bright green magic snaked out. Tony fumbled in the air, as if he could defend himself by swiping away at it with clean linens. The magic coiled around his ankles, forming unbroken circles and latching down tightly. 

“What in the flying fuck are you doing?”

“Since you refuse to behave properly, we're going to have to extract obedience one movement at a time. Don't be troubled.” Loki said, restraining just how much this pleased him. “Just relax. I won't use my magic to hurt you unless you push me to it.”

Tony tried to twist away, but the green spirals slipped around his thighs and clenched just as hard. They drew together as if by an invisible chain. They forced his legs to bend until the green manacles touched and he was kneeling on the floor. A pile of clothing surrounded him and he glared up at Loki in wry frustration. “Fine. Okay. I'm kneeling. What now?”

“Now you will fold. You will fold my shirt and my under trousers into neat rectangles with creases. You will then crawl to the ottoman and lie them down properly where they belong. You will then crawl and remove my leathers from the closet and inspect them properly. Once this is done, I will see if you have made some improvement to the care of my garments. If you have, I will release the manacles.”

“No you won't.” Tony said, clearly trying to convince himself.

“I give you my word. Strive to improve and I will be merciful. However if you continue this childish disrespect, I will be forced to extract further punishment. It's only right.” 

Tony stayed there for a moment, gathering his up pride, stubbornly trying to convince himself to give in this time. Finally he reached for the shirt and began to fold it haphazardly. 

“Alright then.” Loki leaned down and picked it up, looking at how poorly it had been done. He shook his head and with a whip of his arm, unfolded it entirely and dropped it back to the ground. “Again.”

“You mother fucking… nghhhg!” Tony bit his tongue when he felt the manacles tighten around his limbs, squeezing to the point of discomfort. 

“Careful.” Loki's tone was no longer playful. “Now, fold it properly.” 

The pain did not relent. Tony scrambled for the cloth and tried to work past the grip that dug into his skin like wire. He looked at the shirt in confusion for a moment, or perhaps just trying to decide if it was worth it. Finally he lay the cloth down and began to make well laid and straight folds. He did the same thing with the silken trousers that were meant to go under the leathers and protect the skin from chafing. 

Loki did not relent until he picked up the clothing and smiled at the perfectly neat rectangles. “Much better.” He pronounced and snapped, listening to the breathless gasp as the pain stopped. “Now, take it to the ottoman. There's a good pet.” He cooed as Tony shuffled over. 

“Sadist.” He growled out, unable to stop himself.

“Glad to know you understand.” Loki pointed to the leathers. “Next part. Get to work.”

He did not expect everything to turn around in a day. He'd have been massively disappointed if things were going to be that easy. Instead he guided and instructed patiently once more, satisfied that he'd provided the mortal with a valuable lesson. Tony managed better with the leathers, and Loki decided that was enough for one day. He was growing warm having witnessed such a display of humility. “You may stand in order to dress me.”

Tony looked like he might stay on his knees just to inconvenience Loki out of pure spite, but stood shakily. The sharp wince as his knees strained did not go unnoticed, and Loki peered in curiosity for a moment. The man looked no more than forty or so, but then forty for mortals was different than it was for him. It could be that Anthony was in his middle years. Loki realized he might have to do this with a little caution added to curb his enthusiastic desires. There would be no fun if he broke the poor thing.

He instructed Tony on how to properly tie the silken shirts before putting the leathers on, showing him where the straps went once more. This time he was pleased to see Tony paid a little more attention, getting the layout almost right before having to redo a few buckles. “Better. Considerably better. And here I thought you would continue that uselessly stubborn display.” he turned to the man and cupped his chin with his fingers. “Now, would you like a reward for improvement?” His voice turned soft and dusky, promising something sweet. He delighted, thrilled at the way Tony's eyes dodged to his lips, sowing a clear consideration before the man jerked away once more. Loki laughed before reaching across to his dresser and pulling out a small blue elixir. “For your strain. Only a few drops I think. Can't have you serving me if you are in too much pain to do so.” He poured a little bit in a goblet, touched it with his tongue, then diluted it with water. The painkiller was enough to ease the strain of an Aesir. If he wasn't careful he might knock Tony out entirely.

“Can I trust it?” Tony asked, staring at the bright blue liquid.

“Yes. It's strong, so sip it with caution. Unless you wish your knees to suffer.” The mortal held off a moment longer, then took the cup and sipped gingerly before the strain on his face eased considerably. “You see? I agreed no coercion. I keep my word, Anthony.”

Tony nodded and took another sip before setting it down. “If I'm going to be on my knees like that, you might want to invest in kneepads.” He griped.

“I shall look into it. Now, onto washing.”


	5. Chapter 5

Tony was by no means enthralled with Loki's ownership of him. But that did not make him stupid. Gealby's treatment of him had been horrific, straining him near to his breaking point. Little food, cramped cage, half freezing in the winter climate. His position was much improved by Loki's 'altruism'. He was clean, he was well fed, he was warm. Those were things to feel good about. 

He was owned, captive, and unlikely to get free any time soon. That was on the not so great end of things. It wasn't that he felt himself to be too good for service. He wasn't that spoiled. Well at least he liked to think he wasn't that spoiled. It was more the things Loki considered to be par the course for a servant. 

The humiliation with the folding incident had been bad enough. His knees still ached from it, but that had not stopped Loki from insisting he come to the bathing chambers to attend his 'prince'. Tony didn't consider himself to be shy around naked bodies, but he had been keenly aware that there was a perfectly good reason these Aesir thought themselves to be gods. 

Bathing the prince required him to shed his own clothing down to the wrapped linens they called underwear and slipping down into the steaming waters of the bathing pool. There was a floating basket that carried oils and soaps, and Loki had taken pleasure in instructing him how to go about using each one. He had stopped short of allowing Tony to shave him, but that did not keep him from letting his hands wander freely.

“Thought we had an agreement about that.”

“Am I forcing you to do something?” Loki asked sweetly, his green eyes flashing with challenge. “Am I threatening you somehow?” He teased, a hand gliding up the back of Tony's leg to measure his thigh with candid enjoyment. He brushed his fingers through the dark hairs and hummed sweetly. 

Tony cringed, intentionally looking away as he reached for the sea sponge and pressed the soap bar into it, working up a lather. Loki's fingers were long. His grip was quite firm. Tony could not shake the feeling that Loki was getting some kind of twisted enjoyment out of his discomfort over the situation. He smiled all the brighter when Tony shuddered, fingers at the cusp of his ass. 

“Tell me, Anthony. Have you ever been touched by another man before?” Loki's voice purred in his ear.

Tony focused on scrubbing his shoulders, trying to ignore the touch. “Why do you care? Would you get some kind of pleasure if you thought you were my first?” 

“I do not deny it would be a thrill to think I was the first man to explore your sublime body. But still, it hardly matters. You could have bedded a thousand before me. Male, female, some mix of the two. They were not me.” Those white teeth shone. “None of them could equal me. I promise you that much.”

“Wow. And people think I'm a braggart.” Tony managed to squirm free of the grip, but he expected that if Loki had meant to hold him longer, he would have been held. He finished bathing the prince off quickly before getting out of the pool and toweling him off. It took twenty minutes of Loki instructing him once more how to do the straps correctly to get the man dressed. 

When Loki seemed satisfied with his strict aesthetic appearance, he nodded and patted Tony on the head, enjoying the rankled look on his face. “Now then, I'll trust you to stay in these rooms if you don't want to get yourself into trouble. I'll try to get your papers soon.”

“Sure. Not like I could escape into the streets of Asgard or anything.” 

Loki paused, giving him the impression of mild irritation. “You DO realize what will happen out there, don't you? You think Gealby is the only flesh peddler in the nine realms? You think it would take long for anyone to realize what you are and the price you would fetch? Don't mistake me mortal, you are very attractive and I don't like to give up what's mine. But if someone takes you off-planet, I'd be hard pressed to follow.” He loomed over Tony's shoulders. “Don't make yourself more trouble than you are worth.”

“Well pardon me for breathing.” Tony shot back. “What do you expect me to do stuck in here?”

“You could pretend to be useful. You could dust, scrub, fold. My previous servants found ways to be productive. Thought in truth, I will advise you not to meddle with my laboratory.” He jerked his head towards a set of ornate doors which were bolted tightly shut. “I will know if you attempt to enter and frankly you'd be putting yourself in considerable danger should you attempt it.” He straightened his cuffs and ensured his hair looked well groomed in a polished mirror before nodding. “Don't worry. Soon enough I'll have you following me like a lost puppy begging for a treat.” He grinned in a wolvish manner before leaving Tony to his own devices. 

Tony took his first full breath since he'd entered the palace. He rubbed his hands over his face, mind quickly wrapping itself around his situation. Of course escape was the first thing on his mind, but he doubted Loki would directly lie to him. For now he needed to play the game until he could devise some way of getting himself back to Earth. Tony wasn't sure what the god had in mind, but he wasn't intending to hang around for a fucking year to find out! Who knew how time worked on Asgard compared to back home? He'd already figured out that a full rotation from day to night resulted in a thirty-six hour cycle. Who knew what their whole calendar looked like! 

He checked the door to be sure it had been locked. Some might find that to be confining, but he needed to be sure he would not be interrupted without good reason. Tony began to explore the room cautiously, trying to work out his options. 

Loki's chambers were more like a suite of rooms connected to one another. There was a sitting area in the foyer just inside, and past that a lounge area full of pillows, low couches and shelves full of books and scrolls, none of which he could read. Going around the room Tony could see the set of doors which apparently led to Loki's 'laboratory' and while he approached them, he didn't dare open them yet. Better not to give into temptation right away. Around the back wall lay the secondary room where he could rest and clean up, and turning again he faced Loki's bed alcove which lay behind a set of light blocking curtains. Just beyond that was the bathing room, and beyond that a set of lattice doors which when he peered out showed Tony that the prince had some sort of private garden all to himself. Tony tried the doors briefly and was not too surprised to see they were locked as well. Of course Loki wouldn't take any chances just yet. And if they had been opened, Tony would have suspected it was just for the sake of giving him a chance to hang himself. 

Around the room were various decorations. Rugs, pillows, lamps, plants, shelves, tapestries, wardrobes and other things that seemed to have been designed for the sole purpose of taking up space and looking fancy. It was plush, no doubt about that. Tony peered around at the items and wondered how valuable they were. Was there anything he could use to turn a quick buck and barter himself a one way ticket back home? None of it looked particularly valuable, but then what kind of a judge was he?

He began to riffle through the storage dressers, eyeing the various outfits and costumes with no small amount of laughter. “Wow. Okay who here likes to dress like an elf at a bdsm bar? Anyone? Renfair gone wrong?” He started to throw the items back in the drawer and then remembered if he made a mess, Loki would probably make him go down on his knees to fold it all up again. He sighed and made everything as neat as he could before closing up the drawers. 

Next to the bathing rooms the chests held various oils, unguents and soaps with spicy and intriguing scents. Little gilt containers held salts and sands and powders he didn't recognize, so he decided not to try and pry them open. Tony closed the chest and wandered over to the wardrobe by the bed chambers, undoing the latch easily and opening it curiously. 

He blinked, then closed the doors, cheeks reddened as he let his mind wrap around it. 

Tony opened the doors again and just stared. He was not a naive man. Not by any extent. He knew what a sex toy collection looked like. But this was excessive, even by his standards! As with everything else the prince owned, gold, black and green seemed to be the pallet of choice, which meant all of these had to have been special ordered. Even the leather straps and items hanging from hooks on the inside of the doors seemed to have a specific order to them. As he peered closely at the toys which were clearly meant to be inserted, Tony could see meticulous attention had been paid to how they were organized. First by purpose, then by size, then by color, and lastly, from most to least human looking. 

He stared a second longer before taking a step back, closing the door, and ensuring it was locked exactly as it had been before. The last thing he wanted was for Loki to think he'd gotten curious (which he had), gone looking for trouble (which he had), and examined the toy cabinet a little too long (which he most certainly had). 

Tony looked towards the bed chamber that he could call his own. He had seen some cleaning supplies beneath the cabinets in the bathing chamber and decided that if he was going to be here for any length of time, which was proving to be a real possibility, it wouldn't do him any harm to spruce up his own living space a little bit. He could figure out pretty easily that anything with a citrus smell had to be some kind of cleaning solution, and grabbed a few wash cloths before heading back to his area. 

He began by stripping the bedding and putting it in a pile outside the door. They had to have some manner of laundry service here right? Maybe he could throw it in with Loki's bedding at some point. He took the old dusty scrolls and books off the shelving, and pushed open the lattice window to let in some light and fresh air. The windows were not wide enough for him to squeeze through, but they let in the brisk air well enough. He only needed it until he could finish dusting. 

It was clear no one had used this place in quite a while. Not only was the dust caked on, but there were dead plants dried up with crusty water stains in the vases. Had Loki just closed this room off when he lost his last servant? Tony began sorting through things he intended to keep (which might prove useful somehow) and things he wanted to trash. He found a few little boxes containing a few coins here and there or little trinkets that had been important to someone once. As soon as he got everything all cleared out, he set to work polishing and scrubbing, determined to make this place livable. 

Tony didn't know how long he had been at it when he suddenly heard a voice that made him jump.

“What ARE you DOING?” 

He looked up at Loki who was standing at the door to his area, leaning against the frame, arms crossed and looking dumbfounded. “I'm… cleaning.” He stood up, suddenly feeling like he'd opened himself up for trouble. “You told me to do something useful. Well this area is a pigsty and… ”

“That's not what concerns me.” He strode forward and picked up the bottle Tony had been using. “Have you been using this to clean?”

“...yes?” Warning klaxons went off in his brain. He was not about to get his ass handed to him! 

Loki's mouth crinkled, then pinched, then the god let out a crude, nasal snort. “You… you used…priceless…Alfheimer tree oils… for…for CLEANING?” He cackled so loud he looked fit to burst a lung. 

“Well…I didn't know!” Tony snapped back, certain he was about to be punished for something. “How the fuck am I supposed to know? It smells like a cleaning product we've got back home!” 

Loki doubled over with laughter. “Oh! Oh you…you poor thing! You poor mortal!” He caught the guarded stance and shook his head. “Oh don't look so frightened. I told you to clean and you certainly did that.” He snickered again. “Polishing the furniture with Alfheimer oils…oh that's funny. Oh dear me.” He lifted the bottle with two fingers and handed it back to Tony. “Don't let me interrupt.”

Tony hesitated. “...I just…it was under the sink. I didn't think it was important.” 

“I put them under there because they are so rare and expensive that I only use them for special occasions.” Loki explained smoothly. “Now now. I'm not angry with you. If nothing else you'll have the best smelling serving chambers in all of Asgard! My goodness it's almost too hedonistic even for me!” Loki eyed the piles of odds and ends outside the door. “I take it you'll want these gathered up and disposed of?”

Tony just stood there for a long moment, surprised his stupid decision hadn't brought on some kind of punishment. “I uh yeah. I mean I was gonna clean some of it. You know. Not the books. I mean I can't read them so…”

“Would you like to read them?” Loki cooed, his eyes bright with mischief. “I could teach them to you.”

“Why would you want to do that?”

“Well I can't spend every spare second of time here watching over you. You strike me as the sort of person who is best behaved when well occupied. Perhaps learning a new language will help with that.” Loki fished a scroll out of the pile. “Or did you think I would be doing nothing but seducing you till you are frustrated enough to hump the pillows in wait of my touch?” 

“Hadn't really thought about it that much.” Tony admitted, still in shock. 

“Well I have. Besides, once you're mine forever, you'll need to know at least a little Aesir to get along.” Loki's grin turned impish and he tapped his mortal's brow with the edge of the scroll. “Finish what you're up to. I'll have new bedding brought for you by nightfall. New curtains as well perhaps. Oh, and I should have your new papers within a day or two. So we'll need to polish up your services before I can let you be seen attending me.” Loki hummed. “I'll be looking forward to your education, Anthony.”


End file.
